Metadata Brokering Server and Methods

1. A method for processing metadata sets of information comprising the steps of: capturing said metadata sets of information from at least two different media sources; storing said metadata sets of information; creating links between metadata elements of said captured metadata sets of information; generating a synthesized metadata set based on said metadata sets of information from said at least two different media sources, said generated synthesized metadata set including metadata elements from said two different media sources; building a plurality of screen templates using at least said synthesized metadata set and said links; and distributing processed metadata including at least one of said plurality of screen templates, said links and said synthesized metadata set to a plurality of different client devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of capturing said metadata sets of information further comprises the steps of: evaluating said metadata for relevancy and accuracy to generate filtered metadata; and selectively storing said metadata in a database based upon a result of said evaluating step.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of: validating said metadata to correct errors.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of creating links further comprises the step of: selectively linking together the metadata elements based upon their semantic relevance.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of distributing said processed metadata further comprises the step of: distributing a first set of processed metadata to a first set of client devices having a first set of capabilities and distributing a second set of processed metadata to a second set of client devices having a second set of capabilities.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of: generating, at both said first set of client devices and said second set of client devices, a same displayed screen view based on said first set of processed metadata and said second set of processed metadata, respectively.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of capturing metadata information includes capturing metadata from at least one of said plurality of different client devices which represents usage of said at least one client device.

8. A system for processing media metadata comprising: a metadata server for receiving metadata sets from at least two different sources and for filtering and selectively storing said metadata sets in a metadata database; a processor, associated with said metadata server, for linking together metadata elements of said metadata sets stored in said database, for generating a synthesized metadata set based on said metadata sets from said at least two different sources, said generated synthesized metadata set including metadata elements from said two different media sources, and generating screen templates using said synthesized metadata set to collectively generate processed metadata; and at least one distribution server for distributing said synthesized metadata set to a plurality of client devices.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said processor links together metadata based upon semantic relevance therebetween.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein said processor augments said received metadata from said plurality of sources with at least one additional metadata representing usage of at least one of said plurality of client devices.

11. A method for processing metadata associated with media items comprising the steps of: receiving metadata from at least two sources; storing said metadata; processing said received metadata to generate processed metadata that includes metadata elements from said at least two sources; and distributing said processed metadata, wherein said metadata is supplemental data associated with at least one media item; and said supplemental data includes one or more of a title, description, genre, cast, DVD cover art, price, availability and rights associated with said at least one media item.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said step of receiving metadata further comprises the step of: receiving metadata from a first service provider and a second service provider, said second service provider being different than said first service provider.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of: converting said received metadata from a first received format into a second predetermined format.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of: filtering said received metadata to remove information elements which are not relevant for screen generation.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of: modifying said received metadata based on a set of rules.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of processing said received metadata further comprises the step of: selectively linking together metadata received from said at least two sources based upon their semantic relevance.

17. A method for processing metadata associated with media items comprising the steps of: receiving metadata from at least two sources; storing said metadata; processing said received metadata to generate processed metadata that includes metadata elements from said at least two sources; and distributing said processed metadata, wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of: validating said received metadata to correct errors.

18. A method for processing metadata associated with media items comprising the steps of: receiving metadata from at least two sources; storing said metadata; processing said received metadata to generate processed metadata that includes metadata elements from said at least two sources; and distributing said processed metadata wherein said step of processing further comprises the steps of: mapping metadata, from said at least two sources, associated with a single media item into a single set of metadata, identifying a semantic connection between two nieces of metadata received from said at least one source; and generating a link between said two nieces of metadata.

19. A method for processing metadata associated with media items comprising the steps of: receiving metadata from at least two sources; storing said metadata; processing said received metadata to generate processed metadata that includes metadata elements from said at least two sources; and distributing said processed metadata wherein said step of processing further comprises the steps of: synthesizing new metadata based on said received metadata, identifying a semantic connection between two nieces of metadata received from said at least one source; and generating a link between said two pieces of metadata.

20. A method for processing metadata associated with media items comprising the steps of: receiving metadata from at least two sources; storing said metadata; processing said received metadata to generate processed metadata that includes metadata elements from said at least two sources; and distributing said processed metadata wherein said step of processing further comprises the step of: generating user interface screens using portions of said received metadata from said at least two sources.

21. A method for processing metadata associated with media items comprising the steps of: receiving metadata from at least two sources; storing said metadata; processing said received metadata to generate processed metadata that includes metadata elements from said at least two sources; and distributing said processed metadata wherein said step of processing further comprises the steps of: populating a user interface screen using portions of said received metadata from said at least two sources; identifying a semantic connection between two pieces of metadata received from said at least one source; and generating a link between said two pieces of metadata.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising the step of: restricting usage of said received metadata for populating said user interface screen based on rights associated with said received metadata.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising the step of: restricting usage of said received metadata for populating said user interface screen based on parental controls associated with said received metadata.

24. A method for validating metadata comprising the steps of: receiving metadata from at least one source; storing said metadata; identifying an error in said received metadata; and correcting said error in said received metadata wherein said step of identifying said error further comprises the step of: performing a closeness fit operation with respect to said received metadata and a repository of previously stored metadata.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising the step of: identifying a semantic connection between two pieces of metadata received from said at least one source; and generating a link between said two pieces of metadata.

26. A system for processing metadata comprising: a master server for receiving metadata from at least one source; a processor for processing said received metadata; and a repository for storing said processed metadata, wherein said metadata is supplemental data associated with at least one media item, and, wherein said supplemental data includes one or more of a title, description, genre, cast, DVD cover art, price, availability and rights associated with said at least one media item.

27. A system for processing metadata comprising: a master server for receiving metadata from at least one source; a processor for processing said received metadata; and a repository for storing said processed metadata, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to map said received metadata, from at least two sources, associated with a single media item into a single set of metadata, and selectively linking together metadata received from said at least two sources based upon their semantic relevance.

28. The system of claim 27 , further comprising: a plurality of distribution servers connected to said master server for distributing said processed metadata.

29. The system of claim 28 , wherein at least two of said plurality of servers distribute said processed metadata differently based upon a capability level of client devices associated therewith.

30. The system of claim 27 , wherein said metadata is supplemental data associated with at least one media item.

31. The system of claim 27 , wherein said processor processes said received metadata to convert said received metadata from a first received format into a second predetermined format.

32. The system of claim 27 , wherein said processor processes said received metadata to filter said received metadata to remove information elements which are not relevant for screen generation.

33. The system of claim 27 , wherein said processor processes said received metadata to validate said received metadata to correct errors.

34. The system of claim 27 , wherein said processor processes said received metadata to synthesize new metadata based on said received metadata.

35. The system of claim 27 , wherein said processor processes said received metadata to modify said received metadata based on a set of rules.

36. The system of claim 27 , wherein said processor processes said received metadata to identify a semantic connection between two pieces of metadata received from said at least one source, and to generate a link between said two pieces of metadata.

37. The system of claim 27 , wherein said processor augments said received metadata from said at least one source with at least one additional metadata representing usage of at least one client device associated therewith.

38. A system for processing metadata comprising: a master server for receiving metadata from at least one source; a processor for processing said received metadata; and a repository for storing said processed metadata, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to generate user interface screens using portions of said received metadata from at least two sources and selectively linking together metadata received from said at least two sources based upon their semantic relevance.

39. A system for processing metadata comprising: a master server for receiving metadata from at least one source; a processor for processing said received metadata; and a repository for storing said processed metadata, wherein said processor processes said received metadata to populate a user interface screen using portions of said received metadata from at least two sources and selectively linking together metadata received from said at least two sources based upon their semantic relevance.

40. The system of claim 39 , wherein said processor processes said received metadata to restrict usage of said received metadata for populating said user interface screen based on rights associated with said received metadata.

41. The system of claim 39 , wherein said processor processes said received metadata to restrict usage of said received metadata for populating said user interface screen based on parental controls associated with said received metadata.